Secondary Schools Day
Join us for the renowned Secondary Schools Day at Byron Writers Festival, held at the festival site in Bangalow.
Through eight engaging sessions, students will be invigorated by rich conversations about writing and storytelling, fantasy worlds and deadly reptiles, poetry and strange spirits, historical reckonings and inspiring futures.
Featuring the queen of fantasy Isobelle Carmody, the king of crime writing Michael Robotham, best selling author Markus Zusak (The Book Thief) and deadly scientist Corey Tutt, alongside celebrated authors Anita Heiss (Dirrayawadha), Sarah Armstrong (Run), Santilla Chingaipe (Black Convicts) and poet Maxine Beneba Clarke (Stuff I’m Not Sorry For), students will enjoy their own Byron Writers Festival experience with author signings, books available to buy, as well as food and drink options.
Learn among the trees at the Bangalow Showgrounds for Byron Writers Festival’s Secondary School Day, tailored for high school students of any grade level.
Book Fair and author signings presented by The Book Room Collective.
Meet the authors
Michael Robotham
Born in Casino, Michael Robotham’s novels have sold more than 8.5 million copies worldwide. Before becoming a novelist, Michael Robotham was a journalist and investigative reporter in Britain, Australia, and America and worked with clinical and forensic psychologists as they helped police investigate complex, psychologically driven crimes. His debut thriller, The Suspect, introduced Joe O’Loughlin and became a global bestseller and ABC TV series. Michael has twice won the UK’s Gold Dagger Award and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. His latest novel, The White Crow, is a gripping thriller from an absolute master of the craft.
Isobelle Carmody
Isobelle Carmody is one of Australia’s foremost writers of fantasy, science fiction, Young Adult and children’s literature. She began the acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles at just fourteen years of age. Carmody went on to win multiple awards including the CBC Book of the Year, a Golden Aurealis, and a White Raven at Bologna. Her works include The Gathering, Greylands, Alyzon Whitestarr, and The Red Wind. In 2020, she completed her PhD at the University of Queensland. Her latest novel Comes the Night is a superb fantasy set in the near future, full of secrets, high stakes, peril, deceptions and dreamwalkers.
Anita Heiss
Anita Heiss (Wiradyuri Nation) is an internationally published, award-winning author of 23 books spanning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature. Her novel Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray won the 2022 NSW Premier’s Literary Prize for Indigenous Writing, was shortlisted for the 2021 HNSA ARA Historical Novel (Adult Category) and longlisted for the 2022 Stella Prize. Her 2024 book Dirrayawadha (Rise Up) is a groundbreaking historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars. Her latest book is Red Dust Running. Anita is also the Publisher at Large of Bundyi, an imprint of Simon & Schuster cultivating First Nations talent.
Corey Tutt
Corey Tutt is a Kamilaroi man who was born on Yuin Country on the New South Wales south coast. As a kid, he dreamed of becoming a zookeeper and in high school he developed a love of STEM subjects. Corey founded DeadlyScience in 2018, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide science resources to remote schools in Australia, and connects young First Nations people with mentors to encourage their participation in STEM subjects. In 2020, Corey was named the NSW Young Australian of the Year and in 2022 he received an OAM for service to Indigenous STEM education. He continues to work tirelessly to send STEM resources to community schools, and show First Nations kids that STEM is for them. His latest book is Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles.
Markus Zusak
Markus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Messenger, Bridge of Clay and The Book Thief – one of the most loved books of the twenty-first century and a New York Times bestseller for more than a decade. His work is translated into more than fifty languages, and has been awarded numerous honours around the world, ranging from literary prizes to bookseller and readers choice awards. His books have also been adapted into film, television and theatre. He was born in Sydney, and still lives there with his wife, two children, and the third wild dog in a once thriving household of animals. Three Wild Dogs (and the truth) is his first book of non-fiction.
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Maxine Beneba Clarke is the author of over 15 books for children and adults, including the ABIA and Indie Award-winning short fiction collection Foreign Soil, the bestselling memoir The Hate Race, and the critically acclaimed poetry collections Carrying the World, How Decent Folk Behave, It’s the Sound of the Thing: 100 new poems for young people, and Stuff I’m Not Sorry For: 99 poems for young people. She is currently the inaugural Poet in Residence at The University of Melbourne.
Santilla Chingaipe
Santilla Chingaipe is a filmmaker, historian and author, whose work explores settler colonialism, slavery, and postcolonial migration in Australia. Chingaipe’s critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary Our African Roots is streaming on SBS On Demand. The recipient of several awards, she was also recognised at the United Nations as one of the most influential people of African descent in the world in 2019. Chingaipe is the founder of Behind The Screens, an annual program aimed at increasing the representation of people historically excluded from the Australian film industry. Her latest book, Black Convicts, traces Australia’s hidden links to slavery, which both powered the British Empire and inspired the convict system itself.
Sarah Armstrong
Sarah Armstrong is an award-winning journalist and the author of three acclaimed novels for adults, including the Miles Franklin-shortlisted Salt Rain. Her novels for children include the CBCA Notable Book Big Magic and its sequel Magic Awry. Her forthcoming middle-grade novel, Run is a brilliantly suspenseful novel with gripping twists and thorny moral dilemmas that will keep readers glued to the page all night. Sarah lives with her partner and daughter in Mullumbimby and is an in-demand writing teacher, mentor and manuscript assessor.
Pricing
Students – $25 per student
Teachers – free (1 per 10 students)
Additional Adults/Parents – $35
Registration & payment timeline
30 April – Registrations open
18 June – Registrations close & schools invoiced
4 July – Final payments due
Detailed information packs will be sent to all registered schools.
Key Information
- Program designed for students in years 7 to 12
- Gates open at 9:30am for first session beginning 10:15am
- On-site bus parking available (weather permitting)
- Open seating; students free to move between marquees
- No supervision provided by festival staff
- Food and beverages available for purchase
- Authors available for book signings and books are available for purchase from the book shop
- Stay hydrated with our free water station; bring your water bottle!
Secondary Schools Day is proudly supported by:
